News

On the occasion of International Women's Day, Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon is hosting representatives of the Israeli organisation Women Wage Peace, Manuela Rotstein and Enam Odeh, and the founder of the Palestinian organisation Women of the Sun, Reem Hajajreh. The two organisations have been nominated for the 2024 Nobel Peace Prize for their joint work.

State Secretary Marko Štucin participated in the third Antalya Diplomacy Forum on 1–3 March 2024, held under the theme "Advancing Diplomacy in Times of Turmoil". In his address to the panel, he stressed that to successfully meet global challenges head on, especially in diplomacy, we need to be able to talk and seek consensus. He also held several bilateral meetings on the sidelines of the Forum.

The second month of our membership in the UN Security Council has come to an end. This month, under the Presidency of Guyana, was marked by the second anniversary of war in Ukraine and the dire situation in Gaza.

State Secretary Marko Štucin hosted the Hungarian Minister for European Union Affairs, Dr János Bóka. They discussed current European issues, with a particular focus on Hungary's preparations for the EU Council Presidency in the second half of 2024 and EU enlargement.

Today, the UN Security Council convened a briefing on food insecurity in Gaza, requested by Slovenia, Algeria, Guyana and Switzerland. The meeting followed a white note of 22 February, sent by OCHA to Council members on food security risks in Gaza.

The 55th regular session of the United Nations Human Rights Council (HRC) opened in Geneva and will run until 5 April 2024. Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon participated in the high-level segment of the session with a video message, presenting Slovenia's views on the current situation of human rights around the world and the session’s priority themes.

Speaking at the UN General Assembly on the second anniversary of Russia’s aggression against Ukraine, Minister Tanja Fajon stressed that the war in Ukraine has led to the largest humanitarian crisis in Europe since World War II. She added that we must all – without exception – respect international humanitarian law and human rights law at all times.

Slovenia presented its intervention at the International Court of Justice in The Hague in the context of the request for advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the policies and practices of Israel in the occupied Palestinian Territory, including East Jerusalem, initiated by the UN General Assembly in December 2022. Slovenia’s main arguments are the right of Palestinians to self-determination and the obligations of Israel as an occupying force.

At today's regular session, the Slovenian Government adopted a decision on a financial contribution to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA) in the amount of EUR 500,000.

Minister Tanja Fajon hosted the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Jordan, Ayman Safadi, whom she has met on several occasions, most recently in Amman in November 2023. They signed a Memorandum of Understanding on Political Cooperation between the Foreign Ministries of the two countries and devoted a large part of their talks to the current situation in the Middle East.

Minister Tanja Fajon attended the EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting on the Russian aggression against Ukraine and the situation in the Middle East and the Sahel. In the debate on the Middle East, ministers discussed the situation in Gaza, the EU's response to the announcement of the Israeli offensive on Rafah and the question of a political solution, and confirmed the establishment of the Eunavfor Aspides maritime security operation in the Red Sea.

Minister Tanja Fajon held a bilateral meeting with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, Hanke Bruins Slot. Their talks focused on activities aimed at strengthening bilateral relations between the two countries. They also exchanged views on current European and international issues.

Minister Tanja Fajon, representing one of 34 countries, signed the Ljubljana-The Hague Convention on International Cooperation in the Investigation and Prosecution of the Crime of Genocide, Crimes against Humanity, War Crimes and Other International Crimes. The Convention was adopted in Ljubljana in May 2023 after a decade of effort and hard work by Slovenian diplomats and international law experts.

State Secretary Štiglic took part in the UN Security Council's high-level open debate in New York on the impact of climate change and food insecurity on the maintenance of international peace and security. In her speech, she stressed the importance of timely detection of processes related to climate change and food security that could lead to conflict.

EU development ministers held an informal meeting in Brussels under the Belgian Presidency of the EU Council to discuss EU development cooperation for the coming years, human rights mainstreaming and the situation in Gaza. Edvin Skrt, Director-General for development cooperation, attended the meeting.

Minister of Foreign and European Affairs Tanja Fajon received her Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry for an official visit. The two officials spent a great deal of time discussing the current situation in the world, with a focus on the Middle East. The Slovenian-Egyptian Joint Commission on Economic Cooperation examined the possibilities for further strengthening cooperation.

In these days when Italy commemorates the victims of the foibe and the exodus from Istria, Rijeka and Dalmatia, the Ministry reiterates the importance of comprehensive and respectful remembrance and dignity for all the victims of the tragic events of the 20th century war and post-war period. Every community keeps the memory of its painful experiences alive, but it must also ensure that this pain does not breed more resentment or fear.

In Sarajevo, State Secretary Marko Štucin met with Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bosnia and Herzegovina Elmedin Konaković and held consultations with Deputy Foreign Minister Josip Brkić.

On the initiative of the Ministry of Foreign and European Affairs, high-tech companies, centres of excellence and research institutes, the Slovenian Science Foundation, together with the Jožef Stefan Institute and the Embassy of India in Ljubljana, organised the first Slovenian-Indian Day of Science and Innovations at the Jožef Stefan Institute.

In Rome, State Secretary Štucin met with Italian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Edmondo Cirielli to discuss the strengthening of bilateral relations between Slovenia and Italy. He also participated in a meeting of the Friends of the Western Balkans and presented a joint Slovenian-German initiative to improve the efficiency of decision-making in the enlargement process.